Label forming and attaching method and means



June 2, 1936. R. B. WHITMAN LABEL FORMING AND ATTACHING METHOD AND MEANS Filed Nov. 50, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR R. B. WHITMAN LABEL FORMING AND ATTACHING METHOD AND MEANS June 2, 1936.

, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30

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IN V EN TOR.

Patented June 2, was

LABELFO 2,042,318 G AND ATTACHING METHOD AND ltiiEANd Ray Belmont Whitman, New York, N. Y.

Application November 3 15 x'rul:

This invention relates to label-forming and attaching methods and means, and-more especially to a method and device, or means, for forming and attaching a priceor size-tag, or label, to

5 merchandise, such as shirts, sweaters, blouses, and

dresses, in retail stores and merchandise establishments, for instance, in place of the presentday method of applying individual tags by hand.

The method involves the use of a continuous l0 strip of material, preferably in roll form, on which a succession of price-tag units is printed, preferably beforehand, and a means of automatically, and in one operation, feeding this strip from the device, to a distance equal to the length of one tag, cutting off the tag, and then forcing a wire staple or other attaching means through'both the tag and the merchandise placed beneath it in the device, in order to aflix the tag thereto.

The invention includes a method and means of assuring a positive feed of a plurality of tags in strip form so that the exact proper length for one tag will be fed out in the operation of the device, then a positive means of cutting off the individual tags from the strip, and finally the forming and applying of a fastening means, such as a wire staple, to both the preformed tag and the merchandise, and thereafter, releasing and removing the tag-forming and aflixing portions of the device from the merchandise, to permit the 33 latter to be immediately withdrawn from the device.

The invention also includes means for altering the width and length of the tags, for readily replacing the used-up roll of tag material with W a fresh roll, for positively guiding the strip material through the device, and for providing a uniform tension between the rollers that feed out the stripmaterial, to bring about a uniform and positive feeding thereof.

49 All these and other objects, as suggested herebelow, are obtained by the method and means now to be described, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side' elevational view of the complete device mounted upon its base, which contains the label or tag material, together with its feeding and attendant mechanism; Fig. 2, a cross-sectional view of the device, viewed from the opposite side to that of Fig. 1, and showing 51) the constructional details within the base, and the means of cutting and stapling the tag; Fig. 3, a top plan view of the base of Fig. 2, after the stapling head has been removed; Fig. 4, a detailed view of the adjustable guide, for properly 55 directing the label strip through the device; Fig.

0, 1927, Serial N0. 236,842

(Ci. 9H8) 5, a diagrammatic view of the stapling head, at the end of the first operation, after the strip material has been fed out a distance suflicient to form one label; Fig. 6, a similar view during the next step in the operation of the device, showing 5 the operating head forced part way down, and the strip about to be cut by the cutting member into an individual label, while at the same time the staple is entering the tag and merchandise; and Fig. 7, a similar view, showing the final position 10 of the operating head, forced completely down, the severed tag having been stapled to the merchandise, and the knife having cut the label from the strip.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts through- 16 out the several views.

For purposes of illustration, the device has been designed for use with a. standard make of stapling device, used in oflices for stapling papers together, and known to the trade as the Hotchkiss 2o stapler. This device consists essentially of a base I0, having near one end a raised anvil-member It on which the staple is closed, and near the other end, a holding bracket it, which pivotally mounts the stapling-head frame, l3, as shown 25 in Figs. 1 and 2.

Stapling head l3 with its appended parts, is retained in raised or open position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by means of one or more flat steel springs l8, one end of which is held beneath a 80 suitable bracket, l5, attached to frame l3 near its pivot point, and the other end of which is positioned under the top of an inverted L-shaped member IS, the top of which rests beneath and holds up frame l3, and is adapted to move downwardly as frame I3 is made to move downwardly. By this means, the stapling and cutting-off device is held in open position against the tension of springs I l, to be instantly ready after each operation to receive the-next garment or other mer- 40 chandise to be tagged, between the device and the anvil in the base, which anvil clinches or bends over the staple to hold it to the merchandise.

The particular staples used in this form of stapler, are of inverted U-shape, being a series of bent wires, soldered side by side in a long row. The front portion only of the strip of staples is-shown in dotted lines at l1, Fig. 2. They are set into the machine by being slid over a grooved surface formed in frame l8, from the back end, or at the left, Fig. 2, this operation taking place after the staple-pushing member has been withdrawn from the frame l3 by means of its handle l8, against the tension of a spring- Fig. 2, which encloses a plurality of guide pins 22,

projecting inwardly from a side wall of the base member 23, on which the stapler base It is mounted, preferably so that it may be removed therefrom.

Immediately below the lower cam-shaped end of member l6, and in contact therewith, is one end of a horizontally-positioned lever 24, pivoted to base 23 at 25, its opposite end, preferably with the longer lever arm, engaging against the low-' er edge of a cam-actuating bar 26, and adapted to swing it upwardly about its pivot 21, against the tension of a spiral spring 28, positioned as shown in Fig. 2, and which spring tends to retain the bar 26 in its lowermost position. Horizontal lever 24 extends laterally across within base 23 to the opposite side thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, thus actuating the cam bar 26, which is pivoted to the opposite wall of the base, as shown.

Pivoted to the cam bar 26 at 29, is a ratchet dog 30, shaped somewhat as shown in Fig. 12, and having a small spring 3|, adapted to normally retain the opposite, or tooth, end of the dog out of engagement with the teeth of a spur gear 32, also mounted to rotate about the bearing or pivot 21. The lower end of dog 30 has a projecting lip which normally extends slightly below the lower edge of cam bar 26, and is first engaged by the lever 24 when it moves upwardly as its opposite end is lowered by member "3. This initial movement of dog 30 against the tension of its spring 3|, forces the lip of the dog into engagement with the teeth of gear 32, and retains it there during the continuous upward movement of that end of lever 24 which swings cam bar 26 upwardly, and so rotates gear 32.

When the stapling head has been completely depressed, and the label-forming and attaching operations have been concluded, the operator's hand is removed from the operating knob 33,

Fig. 2, of the device, and fiat springs l4 in returning the stapler head to its open position, also lift member l6 away from the shorter end of horizontal lever 24, permitting spring 28 to return cam bar 26, and with it the operative end of horizontal lever 24, which engages beneath it, to its normal or lowermost position, and at the same time permitting spring 3| to disengage the dog 30 from the teeth of gear 32, and to ratchet" back to its original disengaged position.

Gear 32 meshes with and drives pinion gear 33, which is affixed to and rotates a feeding roll 34, Figs. 2 and 3, which rotates on its horizontal axis 35, Fig. 2, and whose surface is knurled or otherwise roughened to give it a proper grip to feed out the strip material 2|, which forms the label.

A companion feeding roll 36 is mounted to revolve on a swinging shaft 31 parallel to shaft 35, the ends of which shaft 31 are rotatably held in L-shaped bearing arms 38, pivoted within the base 23 at 39, the opposite ends of members 38 being normally forced downwardly either by gravity or, as shown, by spiral springs 40 afilxed to casing 23 at similar but opposite points below arms 38, as shown. Variations of tensions in spring 40 may be effected by catching it over either end-fastening at different points intermediate of its ends. Thus roll 38 resiliently bears against the label strip 2|, which in turn, is forced against the feed driving surface of roll 34, to be fed from the machine by the downward movement of the stapler head I3, through pressure of the operator's hand on the operating knob 33.

The roll of strip material 2| is mounted to revolve freely about an axle 4|, removably positioned in base 23, and preferably having on one end, a knob 42, Fig. 3, by which it can be withdrawn and inserted again through a new roll to support it in the base.

The bottom of base 23 can either be left open as shown, to permit another roll of strip material 2| being introduced into position, or a removable cover for the mechanism can be positioned 1 within the base along its lower edge.

In order to be able to utilize labels or tags of different widths, the roll of strip material 2| is first obtained in the desired width, up to the maximum which can be accommodated within the dimensions of base 23, and an adjustable guide is then used to direct the strip in its course from the supply roll through the feeding rollers 34 and 36. The approximate location of this guide is' shown in Fig. 2, it being positioned immediately after the strip leaves the roll. Its details of construction are shown in Fig. 4 which is a cross-section along the plane 4-4 of Fig. 2. It consists essentially of two spaced guide members 43, having a fianged outer edge as shown in Fig. 4,

which directs the edge of the strip 2|. The lowermost' ends of these members 43 have lateral flanges 44, Fig. 2, which bear along the edge of a laterally-extending slotted rail member, 45, through which are carried fastening screws 46, adjustably secured in the guides 43. Thus the guides can be either brought together or separated laterally, until their flanged sides bear quite closely against the edge of the strip mate rial 2|, regardless of its width. The end flanges 44 serve to keep the flanged sides of these guides parallel. and so guide the strip directly out from the supply roll to the feed rolls. These members 43 extend along the normally-curved path of the strip 2|, as shown in Fig.2, a sufficient distanceupwardly to automatically point the tape into the feed rolls, for purposes of convenience in' feeding 'a new roll of the strip material into themachine in the beginning.

A second guide 41, Figs. 1 and 2, is positioned as shown, it also having adjustable side guiding members, similar in construction to the guide above described. This aids in retaining the strip in its proper path, as it comes from the base, and to direct it into a third guide 48, attached to the under surface of the stapler-head frame l3. Guide 48 has an extended entering lip, as shown, so that the strip material when first being fed, and when later renewed, will automatically enter the guide. In the embodiment illustrated, adjustable side members are not provided with this last-mentioned guide 43, but they also could be afllxed if needed.

The mechanism for cutting the strip material into the individual tags, together with the means for accomplishing the attendant functions of the device, will now be described.

Pivotally depending from a hook, 49, Figs. 1 and 2, secured to the operating knob33 of the stapler,

is an inverted U-shaped member 50, which rides up and down along the parallel sides of the stapler head 5i. Member 50 has a vertical slot 52 in one side, as shown in Fig. 1. Immediately below the bottom of member 50, on the slot side, and projecting from the staplerhead 5|, is a. stop pin 53, approximately in the position shown in Fig. 1. This pin serves to hold member 50 in its normal position above t, when the stapler head is in the extreme upper or open position as illustrated, and also during the major portion of its downward stroke, thus preventing the independent depression of operating knob 33 during such major portion of its downward movement, when 'the strip material is being fed from the machine.

. A lever member, 54, is pivoted at 55 to this same side of the stapler frame l3, as shown, its opposite end carrying an inwardly-projecting pin 56 which rides in groove 5201 member 50. A spiral spring, 57, tends to normally retain pin 55 at the lowermost end of slot 52, as illustrated.

Lever 54 is somewhat curved as shown, and has a lowermost cam-operating edge surface 58 which, in its downward position after knob 33 has been largely depressed, bears against the adjacent upper surface of the stapler-base member ID. A further movement downward forces this lever 53 upwardly, or clockwise, about its pivot 55, carrying with it its pin 55 which slides in groove 52 to tilt the lower end of the member 50, to the right as viewed from Fig. 1, so that its innermost lower edge finally clears the pin 53 to permit its continued downward movement.

An inverted U-shaped knife-operating member 59, Fig. 1, is adapted to slide up and down over the surface of the stapler head 5!, it being guided in a substantially vertical direction by having a slot 50 on one of its sides, inclose a pin 6|, which projects from the stapler head 5|. This pin 6|, together with pin 53, previously de scribed, both being positioned somewhat as shown, effectively guide the member 59 in its up and down path.

A hardened and ground steel knife 52 is positioned, as shown, across the path of the tag material 2!, and immediately below one portion of member 59, which bears against its upper edge on both sides of the device. Two pins 53, one near each end, project from the back surface of knife 62, and immediately above flanges of member 59., Thus the knife 62 is pushed down to cut the strip into separate labels when the member 59 moves down suficiently, and is lifted up by these flanges 54, hearing against the bottom of the knife pins, 53, when this same member 59 is raised.

Knife 62 is guided between a guide plate 55, having upwardly-extending end flanges 66, and

front guides 51, both of which are arranged to be adjusted toward and away from the side surfaces of the knife 62, as by means of screws extending through slotted holes, in a well-known manner. The guide plate 85, Fig. 1, has its front edge surface hardened and ground, to serve as the cutting-off die when the knife 62 passes it to shear through the strip material 2|. Knife edge 82 is slanted longitudinally, so that the cutting or shearing action is made progressively from one side of the strip material 2| to the other.

A spiral spring 68, Fig. 2, is a part of the standard stapling device, and serves to return the stapling head 20, which shears and feeds the staple, to its normalor upper position, after each stapling operation.

It will be noted that a uniform amount of strip material 2| is fed out at each operation, the beginning and ending of each feeding operation being held constant, and there being no slippage in the rolls. In order to provide a longer or shorter label, at will, a sliding cam plate, 69, sector-shaped, is arranged to slide, as shown, in a concentric path outside of the periphery of gear 32, the lower end of this plate being cammed-ofl in such manner that it will engage against the cam surface of the lower projecting lip of the ratchet dog 30, when the same has been raised up to it. This will pivot the dog, 30, counter: clockwise about its pivot 29, to release its tooth from meshing with the driving gear 32, to instantly stop the feeding operation. The member 59 may be moved upwardly or downwardly in its circular path, to bring its lower cam end into different positions, and so alter the length of the label to be cut. as desired. Then, thumb nut 10 is screwed up, to hold the part 59 in such position. a

The method of the invention, and the general operation of the whole device, or means, is as follows:

The strip material, preferably a good quality of cardboard, thick enough to form a substantial tag while yet thin enough to be unwound from a roll, is introduced in roll-form through the open base, the shaft 5| being inserted through the hole in the roll, to rotatably mount it. The strip is fed from the lower side of the roll through the guide 43, and pushed upwardly until it comes between the grip-surfaced feed rolls, 36-36. The device is then turned right side up on its base. The operator presses down on the operating knob 33, giving it several half strokes, to feed the label material out through the base, then through the guide 48, until it finally reaches knife 52. The device is now ready for use.

The garment or other merchandise to be tagged, is pushed up between stapler head frame i3, and upper base ill, and over the anvil member ii, at which point the staple is to enter the garment. Knob 33 is now firmly depressed. During the major portion of its downward stroke, it feeds the label material through the device, until it projects beyond knife 62 a distance equal to the length the label is to be. This distance can be made more or less by shifting cam member 69 up or down, after temporarily loosening its holding nut 10, as already explained. When the operating knob 33 has been depressed .to its full feeding stroke, or otherwise when the cam surface of part 59 engages the cam end of dog- 30, the label material stops feeding. During this portion of the operation, the knife has been prevented from cutting and the staple from being sheared oil, fed, and clinched around the bottom of the garment, through the simple expedient of preventing knob 33 from moving of itself downwardly in the stapler head 5|; for this knob is afiixed to part 50 by the hook 49, and part 50 is prevented from moving downwardly by the pin 53, Fig. 1. At the end of this feeding portion of the stroke, the cam surface 58, Fig. 1, of operating lever 54, begins to engage the upper surface of the base l0, and the continued movement downward by pressure on the knob 33 forces part 50 to swing to the right and clear the pin 53, as previously described. Thereafter, the tag material now having stopped feeding, knob 33 moves downwardly relative to its stapler head 5|, and simultaneously shears off a staple from the strip of staples (which has previously been inserted in the stapling head) and also'depresses the knife 82 (the part 58 forcing down said knife by being in turn forced by the under side of operating knob 38). Thus the strip material is cut and the staple passes through it and into the garment placed over anvil II, and during the final movement downward of knob 33, is clinched on the under side of the garment, and thus the operation of aflixing the label is completed. The operator thereafter releases knob 33, which returns upwardly to its open position together with the stapler head, 5i, and frame i3, through the tension of springs I 4. At the same time spring 88, Fig. 2, moves knob 33 upward, relative to its head 5i, and carries with it the part 50, which is attached thereto through 48. The tension of spring continues until part returns, finally, to its normal position above pin 53. Knife 62 is also carried back during this movement, through the action of flanges 64, lifting pins 53 attached to the knife. At the start of this return .operation, the ratchet spring 3i Fig. 2, after the lower end of ratchet dog 30 has been moved from engagement with lever 24. moves the dog out of engagement with the teeth of gear 82, permitting the dog to return to its normal disconnected position without rotating the feeding drums backward.

It should be noted that after each shearing operation of the part 20 of the stapler head to shear off an individual staple and apply it through the tag into the merchandise. the staple-feeding spring l9 moves the pushing member which is attached .to the handle IE, to force the staples forwardly so that the foremost one comes again into the path of the shearing member 20', ready for its next downward movement. Thus the staples are fed in automatically after each operation of the knob 33.

It is to be understood thatthe present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not limited thereto. To those skilled in the art, many modifications of the invention will be readily apparent, and it will also be obvious to such skilled persons that parts of the device may be used without other parts thereof, and steps in the method, without other steps, many such combinations readily suggesting themselves. Therefore, it should be and is to be distinctly understood that for a definition of the limitations of the invention, reference must be had to the appended claims.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which Letters Patent of the United States is desired, is:

1 In combination, means for feeding a plurality of tags over an article to be tagged, means for severing one tag, and means for attaching it to the article, the first-named means being mounted in a base, and the two last-named means in a member pivoted to said base, all three said means being adapted to be actuatedby movement of the pivoted member relative to.said base.

2. A mechanism adapted to form tags from strip material and then to afiix them, including a driven roll, manually-operable means for driving said roll, an idler roll resiliently held in contact therewith, the surface of the driven roll being roughened to increase its grip on the strip,

and means for varying the tension of contact between the rolls, and tag forming and afllxing means operable by said manually-operable means.

3. The invention as in claim 2, including means for automatically disconnecting the driven roll to stop the feeding at any desired point. Y

4. In combination in a tag-cutting and sta-' ,pling device, means for pivotally mounting and resiliently holding open said device on a suitable base, tag-supplying and feeding means mounted in said base and adapted to feed tag material 5 in strip form to the pivoted tag-cutting and stapling device during a portion of the downward stroke of the latter, means for locking the cutting and stapling means during said portion of the stroke, and means for automatically unlocking said means thereafter, and of cutting and stapling the tag to the article during the final portion of the stroke. 1

5. In combination, tag-feeding means, stapling means, and tag-cutting-means, including a common means for operating all three, and means for preventing the tag-cutting and stapling means from acting until after the feeding means has completed its function.

6. The invention as in claim 5, all of said means being adapted to operate automatically through the continuous downward movement of one operating part 'of the device.

'7. In a combined tag feeding, stapling, and cutting device, means for preventing the cutting 2 and stapling of the tag until after the feeding has been completed, including a member adapted to move to perform the feeding operation, locking means adapted to, prevent the cutting and stapling operation during a portion of the movement of the said member, and means asso-' ciated with said member for unlocking the locking means during another portion of the movement of the said member.

8. In combination, a base, a stapling member pivoted thereto, locking means preventing the stapling member from operating during an initial downward movement, and means associated with both the stapling member and' the base, to unlock said locking means during a final downward movement of the stapling member.

9. The combination in a label forming and stapling device of a base, a roll of label material mounted therein, a feed roll, a stapling member pivoted above the base, means operated by the downward stapling movement of the pivoted memmr for driving the roll to feed the tape, and means for adjustably stopping the point of feeding at any point in said downward movement.

7 10. In combination, a base, an upper member pivoted thereto and between which and the base an article to be tagged is adapted to be positioned, a roll of tag material mounted in the base, means for feeding said material over the article to be tagged and beneath the pivoted member, attaching means for attaching a tag to the article, said attaching means being mounted in and adapted to be fed along the pivoted member above the tag material, and'means for-severing a tag 60 from the tag material, said means including a downwardly-moving knife carried by the pivoted member.

11. An apparatus for tagging merchandise. consisting of an anvil base on which the merohandise is adapted to be placed, means mounted in the base for feeding a tag from a strip adapted to be positioned above said merchandise, means for applying a staple through the tag and the merchandise, means operable from above the 7 strip for severing the tag therefrom, means for clinching the staple on the under side of the merchandise, and pivotally-and-slidably-movable compound means mounted on the base and adapted to operate both of said staple-applying and tag-severing means through pressure at one point of said compound means.

12. In a stapling-machine, the combination of Q a movable stapling-arm, stapling-means carried movement of the feeding means in accordance with the length of the tag being fed.

14. Ina device for tagging merchandise, which utilizes a plurality of tags on a continuous strip of material in roll form, means for feeding the strip over the merchandise, means for adjusting the feeding means to a distance equal to the length of one tag, means for severing the tag from the strip, and means for applying a preformed attaching means through the tag into the merchandise, said severing and applying means being actuated by the continuous movement of a common member.

15. In a device for aflixing a tag to an article, a base containing a roll of tag material, a member pivoted thereto at one end and having means associated therewith for feeding a tag from said roll, and means for downwardly severing and affixing the tag at the other end, there being an appreciable distance between the two ends to permit the tagging of the article at a distance from its edge, means for retaining the pivoted member in its open position while permitting its movement ,to closed position during the operation of afilxing the tag to the article, and a single means aihxed to the pivoted member for operat- 2n ing the member and the first-named means.

RAY BELMONT WHITMAN. 

